Integrated Approaches to Decision-Making in Sports: Data, Coaching, and Vision

Decision-making in sports is a multi-dimensional process that integrates data-driven insights, cognitive processes of coaches, and athletes’ perceptual abilities. Recent advances across sports science highlight three complementary domains: (1) big data analytics for performance optimization, (2) conceptual frameworks explaining how coaches make strategic and operational decisions, and (3) the growing role of vision training in shaping athletes’ perceptual and motor responses. Together, these fields illustrate how modern sport increasingly relies on interdisciplinary approaches to enhance both tactical and physiological outcomes.

Big Data and Predictive Analytics in Sport

The rise of wearable sensors, GPS, and advanced tracking has transformed performance management, allowing for continuous monitoring of athletes’ physiological and biomechanical states. A recent framework demonstrated how integrating data engineering, predictive modeling, and decision-support tools can reduce injury risks, refine tactical choices, and improve biomechanics. Case studies showed tangible improvements: a 12% reduction in hamstring injuries in football, a 16% increase in basketball decision accuracy, and measurable gains in sprint efficiency in athletics Decision-Making in Sports 1. These advances, however, come with challenges such as data quality assurance, privacy concerns, and the interpretability of complex models. Future directions include leveraging edge computing and augmented reality to provide faster, real-time feedback for athletes and coaches.

Coaches’ Decision-Making Processes

While data analytics is essential, human decision-making remains central to the coaching role. Coaches make decisions that range from long-term strategic planning to immediate in-game adjustments. A conceptual model distinguishes between strategic, tactical, and operational decisions, each shaped by different cognitive processes Decision-Making in Sports 2. Drawing from dual-process theory, coaches may rely on intuitive, experience-based judgments (System 1) or engage in deliberate, analytical reasoning (System 2). Leadership styles—autocratic, democratic, or delegative—further influence how decisions are made and communicated. Importantly, effective coaching often requires balancing structured analysis with rapid recognition-based responses, especially under time pressure. The naturalistic decision-making paradigm emphasizes this blend of expertise-driven intuition and situational recognition as critical to success in dynamic sporting environments.

The Role of Vision in Sports Decision-Making

Beyond cognitive and analytical domains, vision plays a crucial role in shaping athletic decisions. Sports vision training has gained momentum, with studies showing its impact on spatial awareness, reaction time, and visuomotor coordination Decision-Making in Sports 3. For example, strobe training enhanced proprioception in climbers, while structured visual drills improved boxers’ anticipation and punch accuracy. Precision sports such as skeet shooting benefited from vision training that accelerated target acquisition and improved accuracy. Virtual reality applications further demonstrated how athletes adapt gaze strategies to altered visual conditions, strengthening perceptual flexibility. Collectively, these interventions highlight vision as a key mediator of quick and accurate decision-making in high-pressure situations.

Modern decision-making in sports cannot be understood in isolation. Big data analytics provide objective, predictive insights; coaching frameworks explain the cognitive and managerial processes behind human choices; and vision training refines athletes’ perceptual-motor systems for faster and more accurate responses. When combined, these three perspectives underscore that optimal performance in sport arises from the integration of technology, psychology, and physiology. Future research should explore how these domains can be systematically combined into holistic training programs that support athletes and coaches in achieving sustainable competitive advantages.

References

• Mănescu, D.C. (2025). Big Data Analytics Framework for Decision-Making in Sports Performance Optimization. Data, 10(116). https://doi.org/10.3390/data10070116 Decision-Making in Sports 1

• Kolar, E., Biloslavo, R., Pišot, R., Veličković, S., & Tušak, M. (2025). Conceptual framework of coaches’ decision-making in conventional sports. Frontiers in Psychology, 15:1498186. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1498186 Decision-Making in Sports 2

• Martinez-Perez, C., Alvarez-Peregrina, C., & Sánchez-Tena, M.A. (2025). Editorial: New perspectives on the role of vision in sports. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7:1582761. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1582761

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